nagkakaisangliberal

The act of declaring all positions in the Party vacant Ã¢â‚¬â€œ especially the stripping of the Presidency of the Party from Sen. Franklin Drilon Ã¢â‚¬â€œ was done within the context of three very important circumstances:

a. That Mr. Drilon led a cabal of Party members hostile to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to declare last July 8, 2005 that the LP is calling for her resignation, and that if she will not resign the Party would support moves for her impeachment. Mr. Drilon claimed that this was the LP stand, but he has Party President did not convene the National Executive Council (NECO) on that day for the specific purpose of resolving the Ã¢â‚¬Å“Garci TapesÃ¢â‚¬Â issue. Rather, the July 8 meeting was simply the second of a series of consultations with Party leaders on the issue. The fact that 22 of 33 LP congressmen did not support the impeachment of Pres. Macapagal-Arrroyo, and that on July 8 itself the grand majority (if not all) LP local chief executives were expressing their support to PGMA, already proves him wrong on the issue of majority support

b. That, despite several calls from members of the NECO itself as well as the Allied Sectoral Organizations Ã¢â‚¬â€œ the Ã¢â‚¬Å“civil societyÃ¢â‚¬Â component of the LP Ã¢â‚¬â€œ for Mr. Drilon to convene the NECO in order to resolve the issue with finality, he continues to refuse the convening of the NECO. The NECO has not been convened by Mr. Drilon since the last session in Nov. 2004. There is even proof that Mr. Drilon has begun to nominate people to the NECO who are his close confederates Ã¢â‚¬â€œ like his Chief of Staff, Antonio Gallardo, and Commission on Appointments secretary Art Tiu Ã¢â‚¬â€œ in order to tip the balance of his supporters in the NECO to his favor.

c. That despite full knowledge if the majorityÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s questioning of the Ã¢â‚¬Å“standÃ¢â‚¬Â issue by Mr. Drilon and his cabal, he continued to issue statements and conduct actions in pursuit of this stand, utilizing all the while Party resources for their quest to unseat Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo. These can be readily found by checking the Party website, http://www.liberalparty.ph, where all of the statements regarding the Garci Tapes are anti-Arroyo. LP resources were also used to advance their call for Pres. Arroyo to resign and in the petition filed at the Supreme Court by anti-Arroyo supporters questioning the results of the impeachment.
Because of Mr. DrilonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s inaction on the grievances of the majority of members and leaders of the LP Ã¢â‚¬â€œ especially in his refusal to convene the NECO Ã¢â‚¬â€œ the majority of the LP was forced to the drastic measure of calling on its local leaders to a National Assembly last March 2.

Atty. Chito Gascon argued with the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s local leaders of the legality of the event. But aside from his conveniently forgetting that Mr. Drilon himself has been trampling on the LP Constitution since July 8 (Yan ang hirap kay Chito Gascon, nagdadramang Legalista kung pabor lang sa kanya), the mere fact that so many of the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s leaders on the local level, those most intimately connected to the people we serve, expressed their bitterness at the treatment of their (former) Party President of their opinions and acted on it by unseating Mr. Drilon, should at least make the Drilon cabal sit up and listen.

Instead, they have replied with haughtiness and arrogance to the calls and voices of the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s rank and file. Atty. Gascon and Mr. Drilon himself in their interviews that day continuously sneered at the ability of local officials, barangay captains and Party rank and file to unseat the head of a major political party. We think this way of talking clearly shows the way of thinking in the Drilon cabal: that they consider themselves not only above any law Ã¢â‚¬â€œ as shown by their deliberate and careless disregard for the LPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s processes and Constitution since July 8 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ but that they care nothing for the voice of Ã¢â‚¬Å“ordinaryÃ¢â‚¬Â Party members. In fact, Mr. Drilon said that his legitimacy is based on the support of the LP Senators, Congressmen, Governors and City Mayors. To him, these are the only voices that matter, although if he truly subscribed to this he would be wrong, too, as the majority of LP Congressmen, and all Governors and City Mayors have questioned Mr. DrilonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s continued trumpeting of an LP Ã¢â‚¬Å“standÃ¢â‚¬Â not ratified by the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s NECO.

Last November 2005, the sectoral organizations gathered at Ateneo de Manila to try and find a way to unify the Party. Yet the Drilon cabal moved to try and stop it, even sneering at the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s sectoral leaders for daring to act without their Ã¢â‚¬Å“authorization.Ã¢â‚¬Â The Drilon cabal seemed to have believed there was no disunity in the LP, and would not tolerate any challenge to this belief. When the LPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s sectoral leaders Ã¢â‚¬â€œ its youth and women, the staff of the Liberal senators and congressmen, the local legislators, and the PartyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s professionals Ã¢â‚¬â€œ insisted anyway, seeing nothing wrong in their desire to help solve the problems of the Party they loved, the Drilon cabal sent Atty. Gascon to keep the sectoral organizations in line, telling them in so many words to not interfere with processes among the higher-ups of the Party that were supposedly being done to bridge the divide between Atienza and Drilon. All the sectoral organizations wanted to do was to ask the Party President for the umpteenth time to convene the NECO, the one body that can decide with finality the issue of July 8, so everything in the LP will be ok again.

There is a PR principle that if you tell a lie long enough, people will think it is the truth. Since July 8, the Drilon cabal has continuously stated that the LP is for PGMAÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s resignation. The majority of Liberals who do not subscribe to this opinion have rarely challenged this impropriety in public because we hoped that Mr. Drilon would do the right thing Ã¢â‚¬â€œ after all, he wishes to project himself as somebody who does the right thing, a statesman, if you will Ã¢â‚¬â€œ and call on the NECO to resolve this. Yet 14 months have passed since the last convening of the NECO, which Section 30 of the LP constitution says should be convened at least once a year. He and his cabal have instead insisted on the lie they foisted on the people and the Republic since July 8, covering this lie with a veneer of civil society action and progressive rhetoric. And because the majority of the LP cannot stomach their lies any longer, the majority decided to act last March 2.

Atty. Gascon was fond of reminding his fellow Liberals last March 2 about the traditions of the Party. We would like to ask Mr. DrilonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s attack dog to do the same reflection. Mr. Drilon, and the rest of their cabal have been setting aside the LPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s traditions, time-honored processes, and laws since July 8; even worse, they have been using these when convenient to enforce their own beliefs to the rest of the Party, even to persecuting those who would not subscribe to it, for the last six months.

The Liberal Party has always tolerated differences in opinion; the right to not only hold an opinion of your own and to voice it is one of the cornerstones of the liberal democratic ideology. Yet the minute someone tries to enforce their views over those of others Ã¢â‚¬â€œ the way Mr. Drilon and his cabal have been doing since July 8 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ then there is nothing liberal about it. In fact, it is downright authoritarian and illiberal.

It is amusing when you think about it that Mr. Drilon and his cabal go out in public demanding from Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo that she respect basic freedoms and the constitutional processes of a democratic republic, or step down if she wonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t. Yet when the same is asked of Mr. Drilon, he not only refuses to do so, but he and his cabal moves in a ruthless, uncompromising and even insulting Ã¢â‚¬â€œ as shown in the words Atty. Gascon gave last March 3 outside Centennial Hall Ã¢â‚¬â€œ manner to suppress dissent. Even worse, knowing full well that they have done wrong and continues to justify that wrong for so long, Mr. Drilon so easily clings to power and position after the majority of his people Ã¢â‚¬â€œ and, if he truly is Party President then he should value even the least of the LPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s members as he would the highest, as these are his people too, yes? Ã¢â‚¬â€œ moved to strip him of the position they gave him and that he abused.

Let the truth come out. Enough of the lies. It has gone long enough.

The march 2 National Assembly is not just and assembly of City Hall employees and Barangay Captains. There are about a hunndred Barangay Captains present but all are card bearing members of the Party. More than a thousand attended the event and the registration would show that at least 51 members of the NECO are present, 150 Municipal Mayors, A number of Vice Mayors and Muncipal/City Councilors and members of the allied organization.

True. The event was also a conference on Decentralization and Local Autonomy. But there was no deception on the part of Party President Mayor Lito Atienza. If you’d read the invitation letter sent by Mayor Atienza and the program itself, you will find that Mayor Atienza categorically say that there will be an assembly of Party Leaders in the afternoon, that is why NECO members were only invited at 3pm. So where now is the deception. It was a legitimate conference, that is why the DILG allowed the conference participant to charge their expenses to the local fund. Dr. Alex Brilliantes, Mayor Sarmiento, Sec. Nachura and Mayor Atienza and Cong. Danny Suarez spoke about the conference topic that clearly will help them in their governance work in their locality. What now is the problem, Mr. Drilon? Hirap kay Sen. Drilon, kahit pinangkape sa meeting e charge to the Party.

The General membership of the Party have spoken, the end of your dictatorship has ended Mr. Drilon.

For the sake of the Party you purportedly respect and love, as well as the Republic you say you serve, Mr. Drilon, please end this madness by acknowledging your mistakes. More than anyone or anything, even Ferdinand Marcos himself or Martial Law, you have done such grievous harm to the Party that we fear for its recovery.

Practice what you preach, Mr. Drilon and recognize the will of the majority and accept its decision. Unless being a statesman is simply propaganda on your part.

Randy Torrecampo

Now more than ever, writers have to be aware about the implications of a muzzled press, especially in the light of Proclamation 1017 and the entire national situation.

With so many great things you achieved while defending the ideals you stand for, the Filipinos will always need people like you to keep enlightening them.

This is why I would like to ask about your possibility of opening more minds at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) where hundreds are expected to attend the Lasallian Schools Press Conference (LSPCon), May 3 Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 5, 2006. It coincides with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.

LSPCon, the annual journalism workshop for Lasallian campus journalists, was first held at De La Salle University-Manila in 2004, and has since been held each year. This year the LSPCon gets bigger to include in its journalism training program all 16 Lasallian system schools from Luzon to Mindanao.

I would like to invite you to give a talk on Journalism and History. I believe that as one of the countryÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s most respected columnists, you will greatly help us in achieving our goal of producing responsible and responsive student-journalists.

I’m really hoping to get in touch and meet with you soon to discuss in detail this invitation. For inquiries on this invitation, please send me an e-mail at [email protected] or call the Student Publications Office of DLS-CSB at (02) 526-7441 to 47 local 117.

you’re a gas!!!couldn’t help laughing as i read your article on atienza’s rump,i could hear my kids laughing at me (trhinking i’m going nuts again)while they’re watching tv.maybe you could treat them “liberals” to a tour of casiguran on their knees for what they’ve managed to project…..hehehe( ang baho!!!!!!)

john marzan

Rommel Gratil

MLQd3,
i do remember you from grade school in Don Bosco, Manda..Not unless if there is any other MLQ3 around? Yes , you where with the black glasses who like to stay in the elementary library and draw and paint with enthusiasm. Hey man, you ought to start with your Political career, kidding aside’ I mean having the name, and of course with whole hearted dedication, you definitely are a sure winner. In times like these, our country need leaders who have the political will,

claude a. martinez

MR. Quezon,
I am very impressed with your writings. Though I should say more impressed when you appear on ANC and discuss the current events happening back home. I have not seen a journalist like you rip into another (Magno’s)writers piece, well at least in TV not only in the Philippine but here in the US. Your lolo should be proud of you.
C.Martinez
Long Beach,CA

Ma. Ofelia Ursula P. Duka-Deang

I came upon your site when I searched for Dona Aurora A. Quezon’s life story/biography. My nephew needed it for their class, who by the way, is a grade six student of Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School at San Andres Malate. I’m very familiar with Dona Aurora, being graduate of the same school we took up some stories about her then, but that was ages ago. I remember I did a dance number during the inaguaration of her statue in our school (that was 1984). Anyway, thank you for the article about her and i hope in the future you could find a good shot about her. I couldn’t find any close up picture that would go with my nephew’s research.

Another thing, I like your writing style…simple, funny and captivating.You’re a treasure, sir! I’ll visit again soon!

Rollie L. Querijero

You have a very nice website. When I did a Management Systems audit of Bangko Sentral a few years ago, people had a lot of good feedback about you and your skills.

I am a Querijero from Baler and I feel lucky to have the chance to visit your website. I’m not really sure if you’ve heard of my father, Andres B. Querijero, Sr. When he died in 1981, Zenaida (Nini) Quezon-Avancena was at the wake. The union of Brigida and Felixberto Querijero (if I remember correctly) brought the ‘Molinas’ and ‘Aragons’ close to our lineage. I still have old pictures of Dona Aurora, Manuel Sr. and QC Mayor Ponciano Bernardo (together with my father) framed and still hanging on our walls and I do treasure them so much. Actually there are more pictures of Dona Aurora since she was also my parent’s ‘Ninang’ during their wedding.

Hope someday I will have the chance to talk to you in person. By the way, I am also a Bosconian – from Elementary to High School Batch’79.

Jam

let me start off by saying you have a neat site! i read your article about tony perez and what you guys did in north cementary. I’m really interested in meeting this extraordinary person.personal fulfillment? I guess….
if you don’t mind, could you send(e-mail) me his e-mail add or any contact number where i can reach him. i’d really really appreciate it if you could do that for me. thanks a lot and i hope to hear from you soon.

hi again,
here is the summary of some of the comments I sent to con-com and some of my postings. Pls note they are all from my own experiences and observations for more than 3 decades of enjoying the democracy at it should be enjoyed by everyone. again thanks for the opportunity.
———————————————————————————————————————–

1. Party System- Canada Political party system so strong that no personality is above the party-Voters can join the party or vote for the candidate of the party which is in line with their own principles and ideologies ( I have been a conservative card carrying member thru thick and thin).
2. Qualification for Candidate- Aside from persons serving sentences or not being discharge from bankruptcy, just about anyone eligible to vote is qualified to run for office.
3. Limitation of Rights- Section I of our Charter of Rights States That all our Rights and Freedom, including the freedom of Speech are subject to limitations that can demonstrably justified in a democratic society. Such Limitations are; Anti Discrimination Laws- Anti Hate Laws- Anti Racist Law- Minority Law and quite a few laws that prohibits publications and broadcasting and even uttering without paying the consequence. But our Speech and all other Freedoms are still the envy the world over. Reasonable limitation is not censorship as most feared. We are the proof.
4. Selection of Prime Minister- Always in a Parliamentary Form-the PM is the leader of the party who won the most seats either as a minority or majority govt.( the proposal would pick the PM from among themselves).
5. For Electoral Reform one of my proposal is to copy our financing for election campaign and maybe even you may like this. Or improve on ours.
Limit; Party financing for election and all other party expenditures:
Citizen: limit $5000. First 500. 70% tax deductible up to maximum of $650.per year.
Corporation and Union: limit $1000. business expense.
Government: $1.75 for every vote cast for the party or for independent candidates.
All candidates must put up a “nuisance deposit” which will be forfeited if said candidate can not
garner a minimum votes set by the electoral body. This is to discourage just about everyone to
put their names in the ballot.

6. Party Leadership-Party leadership is usually installed by election by membership of the Party. Any party member can get nominated to the leadership election. A fixed date is set for a party convention where party members from all ridings ( constituents) are represented, and the the leader is elected by elimination process until one gets the Majority votes.

7. Parliamentary Form Canadian Version- head of state-Queen Elizabeth II (represented by the Governor General appointed by the PM of the day to a Fixed term)
Head of Government-Prime Minister – The Leader of the Political Party who has been declared winner in the last election and sworn by the Governor General to form a government.
8. Justice System- As with any Democracy, Judges to the higher court are appointed by the cabinet, in accordance with existing laws, but that where the connection ends. Courts are independent and apolitical and judges can not be fired without due process.

9. Canada is a Confederation of Ten Provinces and Three Territories- Each province have the form of government more or less the same as the federal government. Power and taxation are clearly defined between the two governments. Equality payments are applied to provinces and territories who have less resources to develop theirs and to support their residents.

These are just a summary of the parliamentary form as I see it, to get the whole picture go to government of canada.ca. thank you
Toronto, Canada

d.w. alano

hi mr. quezon,
i have pictures of your grandfather during his visit to the american rubber plantation,latuan, basilan (30s). this rubber plantation was owned and managed by dr. james walter strong. dr. strong resided in the plantation with his family until he passed on in the 50s..

if you haven’t seen these pictures yet, i’d be glad to email them to you…

Michael

Hello Mr. Quezon- I was part of the US group that interviewed you last summer for the 20th aniv. People Power film project- it was in August in Manila. I’m now working on a new project that involves RP and I was wondering if I could interview you via email sometime in the next few months. Hoping you’re very well, Michael

I don’t know if you still remember me. It was more than 15 years ago when I applied as a househelp but you and your father rejected my application reasoning I was over-qualified.
Well, that proved to be a blessing in disguise as I continued my engineering education and even topped the board exams.
I soon left for Japan and worked there until 2001 (although I have been comin back to the Philippines several times a year). It was a couple of years back that I chanced upon you on TV as one of the respectable commentators on several issues, as well as read your columns in newspapers.
I had planned to get in touch with you a couple of times but didn’t get the chance to, apart from I didn’t know how.
Well, since I were able to now, I just want to commend you for your insights on a lot of issues and hope that you maintain the objectivity you have now.
Wish you more success and hope that when your time and schedule allow, we can meet and catch up.

I have been following your website for the past weeks while making my personal blog (a newbie) in this arena with the help of sony,cyber and jr. I saw you at the 2nd iblog summit @UP, Diliman. Hope you remember me, the little girl (GMA is smaller than me) who asked Rebecca Mackinnon of Global Voices, “What’s the difference between a forum & a blog? My husband was beside you when I asked that ?, anyway my youngest son alex jr told me when we are back in agoo. That’s a silly ?, parang u r comparing “tubig” sa “pagkain” mama.Buti nasagot ng guess sa 2nd iblog summit. hmmmmm hmmmm

riza

I was there in the conference about free speech in Asia. Well, actually just for Mr. Andrew LiyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s talk on wikis. He invited the Pinoy Wikipedia community but it seems I was the only one who made it.

The really passionate guy who sat beside you raised an interesting point about creating a venue for writers who donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have the resources to maintain a blog or the confidence to start one. Mr. Liy then showed us the Daily Kos. http://www.dailykos.com/

WouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t it be great if we had something similar in the PhilippinesÃ¢â‚¬â€a site where a large group of writers (not necessarily professional journalists) can post well written articles or essays related to Philippine politics, history, current events, etc; quality controlled perhaps by the community itself; and maybe front-page story selection by the community as well? IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m sure many Pinoys both in and outside the Philippines would want to contribute.

I think you are one of the few Filipinos in the web who could lead something like this. DonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t you think this is a good idea? I bet this would make a popular site. What do you think?

I’ve set up a Wiki facility to see if I can get the best minds in the blogosphere to collaborate on a single “Solutions Manifesto” that addresses fundamental issues that afflict Philippine society.

Wiki technology is an open source application that is Web-based and allows anyone who logs on (even anonymously) to edit content directly. The application manages version and provides the Administrator some ability to control access and content; but all-in-all, it is open for all and the resulting content will merely reflect the quality of the contributions.

If you click “edit page” on the left sidebar, you will be taken to a page editor facility that provides a WYSiWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) environment to edit and save that page. You can even add pages if you want.

I read your article “Reading up on EDSA” and was surprised to read the portion about the role of Rafael Ileto (my father) at EDSA I. My father was a low profile person; and the role he played at EDSA I was never made public. I was the one who drove him around during those crucial days and I can attest to the accuracy of your story. I just wonder how you came to know about it.

The name of the magazine is The Kabayan Chronicle and the pilot issue will come out in the market on June 01, 2006. It will be sold to the market for 6shekel or equivalent of around $1.50. I would like to ask your permission to allow me to feature your posted articles on your blog by lifting and reprinting it in our magazine.

The columnists in The Kabayan Chronicle are composed of different blogs of OFWs. OFWs who wanted to share their ideas to other OFWs. We are not a professional journalist, just a simple Filipino who wanted to make a different and succeed in life.

The magazine is some sort of newsletter magazine for different OFW organizations here in Israel. We wanted it to be free for the public but the operational cost is so high and so we decided to make it commercial with a cause.